Social maps: regions have begun to show an upward trend in the birth rate
Large families who were previously denied a single benefit due to a slight excess of income criteria should begin receiving payments in May 2026. Anton Kotyakov, Minister of Labor and Social Protection, at an expanded board meeting of the department, demanded that the regions bring the regulatory framework in line with the new amendments to the federal law. The head of the Ministry of Labor also called for lifting restrictions on benefits for large families in six regions of the Russian Federation, including Moscow and the Moscow region, where they are denied if one of the spouses is registered in another region. About the changes that have taken place in the system of support for large families over the year and what awaits them in the future, see the Izvestia article.
Old new payout
The number of large families in Russia increased to 3 million in 2025, Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin said at a meeting of the expanded board of the Ministry of Labor, which took place on March 13, 2026.
"About 9.5 million children are educated in them," he said. — And their parents should continue to receive attention, care, and help with solving the most pressing issues.
Extended Board meeting of the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection of the Russian Federation at the Rossiya National Center in Moscow
The Prime Minister recalled, in particular, that on behalf of the head of state, the maternity capital program was extended until 2030 and its size has been indexed since February: now it is almost 730 thousand rubles for the first child and more than 960 thousand rubles for two children.
— And, of course, a single allowance remains an essential measure of support, — Mikhail Mishustin noted. — Since January, the right to it remains even if the income criteria are exceeded.
In December 2025, Gulnara Bayazitova, a mother with many children from the Tyumen region, contacted the President of Russia in a direct line, said that she did not receive a single allowance, and asked "for a little help from the state."
— I am an assistant teacher, my salary is 27 [thousand rubles], my husband is a driver, salary is 50-80 [thousand rubles], travels to the city for work. We have six children, we are waiting for replenishment," she said. — But I have been a mother with many children for 11 years, and in 11 years I have passed the [criteria for receiving] benefits once. It turns out that last month we exceeded 100 rubles, and in November we exceeded 259 rubles. Because of this, we don't have any benefits as people with many children: we don't have a travel card, food, a camp, we don't have anything as people with many children, nor communal services, nothing.
Vladimir Putin then called this situation a mistake on the part of the government.
— You just said that when you work, your income increases, but government support immediately decreases.: the funds that you received when your labor income was less, they are immediately reduced. And it turns out that it's pointless to work — it discourages people from working," the president said. — I am sure that the Ministry of Finance and the entire government leadership will hear what we are saying now.
A single allowance for large families is assigned at an average per capita income below the regional subsistence minimum per person. And in February, amendments to the law were approved, which provide for easing conditions for large families. The payment will be provided in the amount of 50% of the minimum subsistence level if the average per capita income is exceeded by up to 10% of it. And such a relaxation for each family should be valid for a year.
"Now," Anton Kotyakov, Minister of Labor and Social Protection, said at the board meeting, "the regions should promptly adjust the relevant legal acts.
"This will allow the Social Fund to recalculate the parents who were rejected in 2026 as early as May," the minister said.
And Mikhail Mishustin asked the Ministry of Labor to take the situation with the provision of family benefits under special control.
—Make sure that everything is organized and smooth, and that citizens have no problems completing the necessary documents," he said.
Benefits for families with many children
Anton Kotyakov drew attention to another limitation that prevents the full implementation of measures to support large families. According to him, in six regions it is not provided if one of the spouses is registered in another subject of the Russian Federation.
— It is important that the whole family can receive preferential status even if one of the spouses or children is registered in another region, - said the head of the Ministry of Labor. — Today, 79 regions have already provided such an opportunity. Four more entities are making changes to the regulations.
But in six regions, he noted, "such work has not yet been planned."
— These are Moscow, the Moscow region, Karachay-Cherkessia, Yugra, Tuva and the Orenburg region. In these regions, the absence of a residence permit for one of the family members is an obstacle to including him in a large family and providing benefits," said Anton Kotyakov.
The minister said he expects that the regional regulatory framework will be finalized. He also recalled that the agency has repeatedly called on the regions to abolish the criteria of need when providing support to large families.
— It is important that at the regional level such measures are provided without an income assessment. 49 regions are guided by this approach. A year ago, there were 40 of them. Work in this direction must be continued," said Anton Kotyakov.
The trend towards an increased birth rate
At least 18 regions of Russia have a tendency to increase the birth rate by the end of 2025, Deputy Prime Minister Tatyana Golikova said at a board meeting. Among them are Sevastopol, the Republic of Crimea, the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous District, the Leningrad, Kaliningrad and Ryazan Regions, Kabardino-Balkaria, Adygea, Karachay-Cherkessia, North Ossetia and the Chukotka Autonomous District.
— These are not all the 18 regions, I have named only those that show greater growth, but not exceeding the total fertility rate, which we are talking about today. This is an upward trend," she clarified.
The Deputy Prime Minister also noted that the orientation towards having many children is growing in society. During the year, the number of children growing up in such families increased by 590,000.
— Demographic issues are inextricably linked to family incomes. Wage growth, employment measures and targeted support measures have contributed to reducing poverty. By the end of 2025, the poverty rate was 6.7%, and decreased by 0.4 percentage points compared to 2024," Tatiana Golikova reported.
She also noted that such a support tool as a social contract contributes to improving the well-being of large families. This is an agreement between a poor family or citizen and social protection: the state allocates free of charge up to 350 thousand rubles for business, up to 200 thousand rubles for personal subsidiary farming.
Last year, large families signed more than 52,000 social contracts. The largest number are in the Krasnoyarsk Territory, Saratov, Nizhny Novgorod and Vladimir regions, Chechnya, Dagestan and Yakutia.
By the end of the year, more than 44% of citizens covered by the social contract came out of poverty, the Deputy Prime Minister said, noting that the regions need to strengthen this work, ensuring maximum efficiency of using this tool.
Anton Kotyakov drew attention to the fact that the quality of life of families with children depends on many factors, in particular, on the position of the employer. And, according to him, it is gradually becoming pro-family. The Minister also recalled that corporate payments in connection with the birth of a child in the amount of up to 1 million rubles are exempt from taxes and insurance premiums.
He also noted measures to support student families and working parents. Last year, the average amount of maternity allowance for full-time students in Russia increased to 90 thousand rubles: it was tied not to a scholarship, but to the minimum subsistence level in the region.
And starting from June 1, 2026, parents will have the opportunity to apply for another large—scale support measure - a family tax payment. It is intended for families who raise two or more children under the age of 18 or under the age of 23, who study full-time. This will reduce the amount of personal income tax to 6%.
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